Abstract

Malabsorption of hemopoietic factors is an important source of disability in regional enteritis. Six patients with established diagnoses of regional enteritis were studied in detail to elucidate this function of the small bowel. The studies included hemoglobin, white blood count, blood smear, serum iron, iron binding capacity, oral iron absorption, serum electrophoresis, bone marrow, gastric analysis, and Schilling Test as indexes of hematopoetic function; and fasting serum carotene, 4-hour urinary xylose, and 72-hour fecal fat balance as indexes of malabsorption generally.

Malabsorption of a particular hemopoietic factor was closely related to the segment of small bowel involved and was not